Adjustable trowel.



- P. F. GONNBLLY. ADJUSTABLE TROWEL.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 8,1906.

PATENTED JAN. 29, 1907.

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m: mum/s rsisns c0., WASHINGTON. n. c.

( 4 TTORNE Y5 PATRICK FRANCIS CONNELLY, SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA.

ADJUSTABLE TROWEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 29, 1907.

\ Application filed May 8, 1906. Serial No- 315.837.

To (Ll/Z whom it Ina/y concern.-

Be it known that I, PATRICK FRANoIs CoN- NELLY, a citizen of theUnitedStates, residing at Sioux Falls, in the county of Minnehaha and State ofSouth Dakota, haveinvented a new and useful Adjustable Trowel, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an adjustable trowel orsurface-finisher, edge-tool, and jointer for sidewalks, floors, andwalls made of cenient, concrete, lime, or other plastic materials and ithas for its object to provide a device of this character equipped withan adjustable handle, whereby work with the same can be doneconveniently and expeditiously.

In work of the character above referred to it has been customary to layand finish working inwardly from the sides of the sections or blocksbeing finished, which is obviously an lnconvement and t1reson3econdit1on under which to work. Furthermore,

' the knees of the workmen become wet, so

that rheumatism or other physical disorders often result. I overcomethese objections by mounting the trowel-blade,-edgetool, and jointerupon a long handle, so that the work can be done in a standing position.By actual practice I have found that an ordinary workman can with lessfatigue accomplish as much or more work than is done byfive workmenusing the ordinary hand-tools. It will thus be seen that the trowel,edge-tool, and jointer is advantageous both on the score of economy inthe amount of work capable of being done and in the saving of physicalexertion on the part of the workn: en.

In the following description, taken in con-- nection with the accon'.panying drawings, the details of construction and arrangenient of partswill be fully set forth, while the features of novelty will be specifiedwith particularity in theclaims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, Figure 1 is aperspective View of my in. proved trowel,showing the blade in position for working on surfaces of large area.Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the blade set for working on narrowsurfaces. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof I an edging-blade.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a jointer-blade.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a blade made of suitable sheetmetal, which is of considerable length comporting with its width. Theblade is reinforced on its upper surface by a rib 2, riveted orotherwise secured'thereto in a central position. Extending upright fromthe rib is a central post 3, Fig. 3, which supports the blade on thehandle 4. Fitted over the post and capable of turning thereon is avertical sleeve 5, to which the handle 4 is attached, the latter beingbraced with respect to the sleeve by means of the Ir embers 6.

The sleeve, with the handle 4, is secured to the blade of the trowel bymeans of the screw 7, that extends downwardly through the sleeve fromthe upper end thereof and engages in the threaded bore of the post'3.The screw is actuated by a hand-wheel 8 at the upper end thereof, thehub of the handwheel binding on the upper end of the sleeve and securelyholds the latter in place.

With the construction thus far described it is possible to adjust theblade so that the long dimension of the latter extends at right anglesto the plane of the handle, which position is shown in Fig. 1, orparallel with the plane of the handle, as shown in Fig. 2, the object ofsuch adjustment being to permit the trowel to be used for surfaces oflarge area on the one hand or for surfaces more or less narrow on theother hand. It is also ad vantageous to adjust the angle between theplane of the blade and the axis of the handle so as to obtain the properset for finishing work at a greateror less distance from the edge of theparticular section or block of flooring being finishedthat is to say,when finishing that portion of the work at a greater distance from theedge or at a greater reach the blade is set at a less angle to the axisof the handle, so as to facilitate the finishing, and vice versa whenfinishing portions closer to the edge. To permit of such adjustment, themember 6 between the sleeve-handle 4 and the sleeve 5 preferably takesthe form of turnbuckle connection, and the lower'end of the handle ispivoted to the sleeve adjacent its base, the turnbuckle connectioncomprising a screw 9, pivoted to the upper end of the sleeve 5 andcarrying the adjustable nut 10. The nut is secured -on a tubular member11, into which the screw telescopes and which is swiveled at the endopposite from the nut in a pivotallymounted anchor-piece 12. With thisconstruction the angle of the blade is readily adjusted by turning thenut 10 by hand in the direction desired.

From the above description it will be seen that the handle of the trowelis capable of differential adjustmentthat is to say, that it isadjustable about an axis at right angles to the plane of the blade andalso about an axis parallel thereto, thus permitting the trowel to beused in a great variety of positions.

For attaching the handle to the sleeve 5 and to the turnbuckleconnection I employ a very simple and inexpensive ferrule construction,the same comprising a sheet-metal body 13, formed into a tube and brazedor otherwise secured at its nieeting edges. The lower end of the ferruleis provided with projecting lugs 14, through which extends the pivot 15,attaching the handle to the sleeve 5, and at the upper end of theferrule are also integral lugs 16, suitably positioned to receive thepivotally-mounted anchor-piece of the turnbuckle connection. The lowerend of the sleeve 3 is slotted at one side and the adjacent portionsturned outwardly into a tangential position, and over these lugs 17those on the lower end of the ferrule extend and are riveted or pivotedthereto.

The invention has been described thus far as to'some of its features inconnection with a flat-blade tool or trowel for finishing planesurfaces; but it is obvious that other blades may be employed, such asan edging-blade or a jointer-blade, which are shown, respectively, inFigs. 4 and 5. Each of these blades is provided with a central post 18,corresponding to posts 5 of the trowel-blade and similarly constructed,so that the edging or jointer blades can be used interchangeably withthe trowel-blade on the adjustable handle. As put up for the market thetool may and preferably will consist of one of these adjustable handleswith any number of blades of different character, as desired.

I have found in practice that with edging and jointer blades madeaccording to the usual construction it is extremely difficult to polishthe surface being finished. This is due to the fact that one or bothends of the edging or j ointer blade are turned out of the lane of theblade, so as to permit the tool to be tilted on the turned edge duringthe polishing operation; but by reason of the end or ends being turnedor curved a suction is produced when they are run over the surface ofthe plastic material, thereby leaving the surface rough and unpolished.I successfully overcome this difliculty by making the end portions ofthe blades slightly beveled on a straight line. This makes a bladehaving a fiat central surface 19 with angularly-disposed plane or flatend surfaces 20. The surfaces 20 form with the end surfaces 21 obtuseangles with sharp edges 22. This is an important feature, since suctionis thereby practically eliminated. Such a tool permits the work ofpolishing to be done in the usual manner by the operator pulling thetool toward him while the blade is tilted on one end and reversing andpushing it away while tilted on the other end of the blade; but as theentire area of the flat beveled portion is in contact with the surfacebeing polished no suction is produced, thereby permitting a hi h polishto be given to the work.

I have described the principle of operation of the invention, togetherwith the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodimentthereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown ismerely illustraiive and that the invention can be carried out by othermeans.

What is claimed is 1. In a tool, the combination of a blade,a postpermanently secured thereto and provided with a screw-thread at itsupper end, a sleeve surrounding the post, a threaded member engaging thethread of the post and adjustably securing the sleeve to the latter, ahandle pivoted to the sleeve to move on an axis at right angles to thatof the post, and an adjustable device between the handle and sleeve forvarying the angular relation of the handle with the blade.

2. In a tool, the combination of a blade, a i

post on the blade arranged at right angles to the plane thereof, asleeve disposed over the post independently turnable thereon, a setscrewfor securing the sleeve and post together, and a handle attached to andmovable with the sleeve.

3. In a tool, the combination with a blade, a central upright postmounted stationary thereon, a sleeve rotatable on the post, means forsecuring the sleeve and post together, a handle pivoted on an axis atright angles to that of the sleeve and movable with the latter aroundthe post, and a bracing means connected with the handle and the sleeve.

4. In a tool, the combination of a blade, an upright post thereon havinga tapped bore, a sleeve mounted on the post to turn, a screw extendinginto the sleeve and threaded into the post, a hand-wheel on the screwwhich abuts the upper end of the sleeve for clamping the blade andsleeve together, a handle .pivoted at its lower end on the sleeve tomove on an axis at right angles to the latter, and an adjustableconnection between the upper end of the sleeve and another part of thehandle for bracing the latter with respect to the sleeve and changingthe angular relation of the handle with the blade.

5. In a tool, the combination of a blade, a sleeve pivoted thereon whichis disposed with its axis at right angles to the blade, a handle pivotedto the lower end of the sleeve and mounted to turn on an axis at rightangles to lower end to the sleeve to turn about an axis parallel to theplane of the blade, and a turnbuckle connection between the sleeve andhandle for adjusting the latter about its pivot.

7; In a tool, the combination of a blade, an upright post arrangedcentrally thereof and provided with a screw-thread, a sleeve arrangedover and rotatable about the post, a set-screw extending through thescrew which engages the thread from the post and holds the sleeve inposition, a handle, a ferrule on the handle having lugs formed thereon,pivots connecting the lugs with the sleeve, and an adjustable connectionbetween the sleeve and handle.

8. In a tool, the combination of a blade, a

- sleeve rotatively mounted thereon which is provided with a lug, meansfor clamping the post and sleeve together, a handle, a ferrule thereonwhich is provided with a lug, a fixed. post on the blade disposed atright angles thereto, a pivot connecting the lugs of the ferrule andhandle which permits the handle to be adjusted about the same and turnedwith the sleeve, and adjustable members between the sleeve and handle.

9. In a tool of the class described, the combination of a blade, a postthereon, a member sleeved on the post, means for adjustably attachingthe sleeve to the post, and a handle adjustably connected with thesleeve, the

side of the blade opposite from the post having two flat surfacesarranged in contiguous relation and one of the surfaces terminating in asharp edge at one end of the blade.

10. A tool for working plastic material comprising a blade having itsunder face provided with a'comparatively large flat surface forsmoothing the work, and with a relatively small flat portion adjacenteach end of the blade for polishing the work disposed at an angle to thefirst portion and arranged contiguous therewith, the said polishing-surfaces terminating in a sharp edge at the ends of the blade.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixedsignature in the presence of two witnesses.

W. I. CHAPPELL.

